Tourniquet



Augf 12, 195s COHEN- TOURNIQUET Filed sept. 4, 195e v INVENTOR. /zex Cams BY W f'm 'A rrolQA/EYS United States Patent() ToUnNIQUET Harry Cohen, 'New York, N. Y., assignor to David Cohen, New York, N. Y.

Application September 4, i1956, Serial No. 607,608

1 Claim. (Cl. 12S- 327) This invention relates to a physicians and surgeons physician in order to release the clamp tourniquet from the arm or limb when it was no longer required.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to increase the facility for manipulating a tourniquet during its application.

Another object of the present invention is to provide instantaneous release of the corresponding gripping members when the tourniquet is no longer required.

A further object is to provide an instrument of greater practicability as a unit for first aid equipment,

Another object is to provide an instrument'having a greater degree of safety for the physician and patient.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification.

The attainment of the aforesaid objectives of .the present invention may be realized through the provision of an instrument, devised of tw'o complementary members diagonally joined intermediate their respective ends, which has upper portions to conveniently grip an arm or limb and lower portions comprising the handles for adjusting the corresponding gripping members. Suitable means for locking the handles to prevent separation of the gripping members are also provided.

The left straight handle may be devoid of an eye loop to allow more freedom of operation and manipulation of the tourniquet, whereas `the right handle may have an eye loop at its lowermost extremity to apply the tourniquet to the localized point with a greater degree of dexterity.

The left straight handle of the tourniquet is equipped with a spring-like arm attachment made preferably of a suitable ductile alloy to provide for the immediate release of the gripping members when the tourniquet is disengaged. The spring-like arm attachment further eliminates extraneous matter, usually present at the site of the application, to become entangled or jammed at the pivotal joint.

A more fuller understanding of the modified form of the present invention may be had by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

2,847,014 Patented Aug. 12j, 1958 ICC In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the tourniquet of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tourniquet.

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the device ktaken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the adjusting mechanism. y

Figure 5 is an enlarged'cross-sectional view of the worm wheel mechanism as shown in Figure 4.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, where like reference numerals indicate like parts, reference numeral 10 indicates a clamp tourniquet of the improved form of the present invention which is made preferably of any suitable ductile material. As shown in Figure 1, the clamp tourniquet 1t) consists of primarily two complementary members crossed diagonally and pivoted at a central point by the pivoting screw 19. The upper portions of the complementary members form a right gripping member 11 and a left gripping member 12 integrally with the corresponding conversely opposite right handle 15 and the left handle 16 (looking in the direction of Figure l). A corresponding right tip 13 and a left tip 14 integrally form with the corresponding gripping members 11 and 12, respectively.

The tips 13 and 14 and gripping members 11 and 12 conveniently embrace the arm or limb without causing undue abuse to the patient when the tourniquet is applied. The right handle member 15 has at its lowermost extremity an eye loop 17 for conveniently inserting the right ring linger. The left handle member 16 is a straight handle 13 devoid of any eye loop member. This cOnstruction, replacing the eye loop member with a straight handle member 18, overcomes the disadvantage previously experienced by excluding any additional impedimentia or extraneous matter that may clutter or jam the left handle member 16 in addition yto the pivotal joint 19 of the clamp.

The improved form of the clamp tourniquet 10 as. devised by the inventive concept of the present invention has a spring-like arm attach-ment 20 rmlyxed at its lowermost end with the lowermost end of the left handle member 18 by means of screw 30.

The spring-like arm attachment'20, offset longitudinally from its fastened lowermost end 30, is extended in a direction diagonally opposite to contact the right handle 15 when it is depressed upon application of the gripping' members 11 and 12 to an arm or limb.

It is apparent that this construction exhibits the feature most highly desirable in a clamp tourniquet; namely, the instantaneous release of the gripping members 11 and 12 to enable the physician to operate expeditiously when the clamp tourniquet 10 is disengaged and no longer required to pressurize the selected portion of the arm or limb. This construction permits the immediate release of the gripping members 11 and 12 due to the ductility and shape of the spring 20 which exhibits an instantaneous forcible recession. The separation of the corresponding handle members 11 and 12 thereby permits the surgeon to use only one hand in order to open the clamp tourniquet. Furthermore the spring like arm attachment 20 is located in such position so as to prevent injury to the operator or patient when the clamp tourniquet 10 is applied to the arm or limb.

The clamp tourniquet 10 is further provided With an arcuate ratchet 21 having an arm-like projection containing teeth 22 along one peripheral edge of the arm. The arcuate ratchet 21 is integrally formed with the left handle 15 intermediate its ends and is projected in a plane outwardly substantially parallel to the gripping members 11 and 12. The arcuate ratchet 21 protrudes through an opening intermediate the right handle 15. The opposite end of the arcuate ratchet Z1 projects through an opening 20b intermediate the ends of the spring-like arm attachment 30, as shown in Figure 3.

Adjusting means, as shown in Figure 4, are provided with a worm Wheel 25 and an adjusting pawl 23 secured by a pin 26 coaxially intermediate the ends of the right handle 15 in an opening 31. The Worm Wheel 25 engages the teeth 22 frictionally and forcibly locks the corresponding arcuate ratchet 21 at a preferred position which is effected through a retractable pressurized force upon the gripping members 11 and 12. It will become apparent that this construction will securely hold the tourniquet indefinitely at the desired position and is adapted to incur a ner adjustment in order to attain an optimum condition of the operable area.

A leaf spring 28 is fixed by a screw 29 to the lowermost end of the right handle member 15. Its opposite end 28a serves as a supplementary means for maintaining the engaged position of the adjusting mechanism.

In operation:

The physician normally holds the clamp tourniquet in his right hand. The right ring nger is then inserted through the eye loop 17, the index iinger is placed on the adjusting pawl 23, and the thumb is placed on the left handle 16. The gripping members 11 and 12 are applied to appropriately embrace the arm or limb at the selected position. The physician then depresses the right handle 15 toward the left handle 16, consequently depressing the corresponding gripping members l1 and l2 simultaneously upon the arm or limb until the desired pressure is attained. At this point the index finger is released from the adjusting pawl 23 in order that the Worm Wheel 25 be conveniently engaged to lock the corresponding teeth 22 of the arcuate ratchet 21, thereby tirmly holding the desired pressure until the gripping members are subsequently released. To release the clamp tourniquet, the physician again inserts the right ring nger into the right eye loop 17, the right thumb upon the left handle 16 and the right index finger upon the adjusting pawl 23. With slight pressure applied to the handles simultaneously the index finger depresses the pawl 23. Instantly the gripping members and corresponding handles 15 and 16 separate due to the force of the ductile spring-like arm attachment 20.

Due to the improved construction as described, the clamp tourniquet is quickly applied and instantaneously released. Furthermore, it is adjustable to a very tine degree of accuracy and pressure. Due to its practicability and effectiveness, the improved structural form of the presently embodied clamp tourniquet is safely used even in the hands of the novice technician.

The above-mentioned structural advantages are not limited to the exact disclosure herein described but may lend itself to a variety of expressions Within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A tourniquet for applying pressure to a selected position upon an arm or limb, said tourniquet comprising two complementary members, means pivotally securing said members intermediate their ends, one of said complementary members comprising a handle member having an eye loop at one end thereof, and a gripping member at the other end, the other complementary member having a straight handle member at one end thereof and a gripping member at the other end, a spring-like arm attachment having an opening intermediate its ends, said attachment being fixed to one end of said straight handle member and longitudinally offset thereon, the other end resting upon the looped handle member for forcibly separating said complementary members, and an arcuate ratchet having concave edges and teeth upon said concave edges, said straight handle member rigidly supporting said arcuate ratchet at one end, said ratchet projecting loutwardly through said opening of the arm attachment, said looped handle member having a slot, said slot being substantially aligned with said opening, said arcuate ratchet extending through said slot, an adjusting mechanism comprising a pin carrie-d by said looped handle member, a member swingably mounted upon said pin and having one end extending through said slot and another supporting end, a worm wheel rotatably mounted upon said supporting end, a pawl fixed to said supporting end, and a leaf spring fixed to said looped handle member and having a free end engaging said one end of the last mentioned member to cause said Worm Wheel to engage said teeth in the selected position when the tourniquet is applied to said arm or limb.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,160,782 Struble Nov. 16, 1915 1,957,992 Cohen May 8, 1934 2,567,182 Cohen Sept. ll, 1951 2,577,008 Engstrom Dec. 4, 1951 

